By: Aiyana Moore ~Staff Writer~

With help from the International Students’ Society (ISS), Xavier students were able to grab their passports and travel the globe, all without leaving the comfort of Smith Hall.

The International Fashion Show, held on Nov. 20, featured Xavier students and fashion from around the globe. Models were dressed in the traditional garb of their countries to showcase their cultures and to celebrate international education and exchange.

ISS’s main goal is to introduce Xavier students to the diverse cultures that exist within the university. With the help of the student models that participated in the International Fashion Show, the club was able to do just that.

“It’s a great way to show the different nationalities on campus,” Lyndi Vinson, ISS Communications Officer, said. Students modeled both men and women’s styles that hailed from all over the globe, representing Nigeria, France, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Barbados and even places within the U.S.

According to Vinson, ISS hopes that the fashion show is able to expand Xavier students’ knowledge of the different backgrounds and cultures represented on campus.

Fashion was not the only thing that was featured. To further entertain the audience, there were several traditional dances performed throughout the evening. It opened with a traditional dance by XU’s Irish Club and ended with a routine by the African Students’ Association. In the middle was the Bachata, a traditional Mexican dance.

Even though the show was enough to capture the audience’s attention, ISS went one step further and provided food from Krishna and Lemon Grass. In addition to the Thai and Indian food, students were encouraged to bring a homemade dish from another country to share, potluck style, as an alternative to the $5 entry charge.

The fashion show is not new to Xavier. ISS has hosted it for the past several years as a way to announce the end of International Education Week. This year’s theme of international travel featured strongly in the show’s introduction and conclusion when the audience was thanked for flying “International Student Airways.” This fitting theme, along with the international fashion, dances and food created a successful and entertaining event for all.